Many modern automotive vehicles include side airbags which, upon inflation, protect the vehicle occupants from injury during a side impact or rollover. Many of these airbags are mounted on a rail above the window. An inflator is connected with each of the side airbags in order to inflate the airbag when needed. The inflator typically is comprised of a metal cylinder containing compressed gas and is also mounted to a rail above the window. An outlet at one end of the inflator is then fluidly connected through appropriate valving means to the airbag.
With reference to FIG. 1, a typical location of a side impact airbag is shown by the section 4-4. FIG. 2 shows a typical inflator 2 having an outlet conduit 4. The outlet conduit, in turn, typically includes one or more ports 6 which are fluidly connected to the airbag (not shown). Upon actuation of the inflator 2, the rapid flow of a compressed gas from the inflator 2 imposes a rotational torque on the inflator as illustrated by arrow 8. For that reason, it is necessary to rigidly secure the inflator to the automotive rail 9 to prevent rotational movement of the inflator 2 upon actuation.
The inflator 2 is typically concealed from sight by a garnish on the interior of the automotive passenger compartment. Such garnishes are constructed of a flexible material so that, in the event of an impact of a passenger's head or other body member against the garnish during an accident, the garnish will collapse outwardly and thus towards the inflator 2.
Governmental regulations dictate that the garnish within the automotive vehicle provide a specified amount of cushion with respect to an impact from a passenger's head. However, with previously known structures, the amount of space between the garnish and the inflator 2 is relatively small. Consequently, in the event of an impact on the garnish, for example by the head of a passenger during a vehicular accident, the collapse of the garnish is stopped by the inflator 2. This results in a high impact force and thus inadequate protection for the vehicle occupant. Therefore, a mounting bracket for an airbag inflator that can absorb energy from an impact is desired.